his same state: could you specify any of the best
cases? The mammae in man are rudimentary. Are there any other glands or
other organs which you can think of? I know I have no right whatever to
ask all these questions, and can only say that I should be grateful for
any information. If you tell me anything about the os coccyx or other
structures, I hope that you will permit me to quote the statement on
your authority, as that would add so greatly to its value.

Pray excuse me for troubling you, and do not hurry yourself in the least
in answering me.

I do not know whether you would care to possess a copy, but I told my
publisher to send you a copy of the new edition of the "Origin" last
month.

LETTER 408. TO W. TURNER. Down, February 1st [1867].

I thank you cordially for all your full information, and I regret much
that I have given you such great trouble at a period when your time is
so much occupied. But the facts were so valuable to me that I cannot
pretend that I am sorry that I did trouble you; and I am the less so,
as from what you say I hope you may be induced some time to write a full
account of all rudimentary structures in Man: it would be a very curious
and interesting memoir. I shall at present give only a brief abstract
of the chief facts which you have so very kindly communicated to me, and
will not touch on some of the doubtful points. I have received far more
information than I ventured to anticipate. There is one point which has
occurred to me, but I suspect there is nothing in it. If, however, there
should be, perhaps you will let me have a brief note from you, and if
I do not hear I will understand there is nothing in the notion. I have
included the down on the human body and the lanugo on the foetus as a
rudimentary representation of a hairy coat. (408/1. "Descent of Man"
I., page 25; II., page 375.) I do not know whether there is any direct
functional connection between the presence of hair and the panniculus
carnosus (408/2. Professor Macalister draws our attention to the fact
that Mr. Darwin uses the term panniculus in the generalised sense of any
sheet of muscle acting on the skin.) (to put the question under
another point of view, is it the primary or aboriginal function of the
panniculus to move the dermal appendages or the skin itself?); but both
are superficial, and would perhaps together become rudimentary. I was
led to think of this by the places (as far as my ignorance of anatomy
ha